Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:45:55-1:46:31

Losing Illustrious could accelerate British carrier building

The loss of Illustrious would be a severe operational blow but could create political pressure for a much larger wartime carrier programme.

Aircraft CarriersHMS IllustriousMalta Class Aircraft CarriersNaval ProcurementOperation ExcessRoyal Navy
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Question

What if HMS Illustrious had been sunk during Operation Excess?

Short answer

Britain would suffer an immediate operational loss, but the shock could drive a much more aggressive carrier-construction programme.

Notes

Losing Illustrious during Operation Excess would create a major operational problem for the Royal Navy. The historical armoured carriers repeatedly survived damage, which reduced the pressure for an emergency replacement programme. A catastrophic loss could reverse that incentive and produce a surge in construction. Britain might then reach Malta-class ships or comparable large carriers sooner and in greater numbers.